The term electroluminescence refers to light emission that occurs when current is passed through an electroluminescent material, typically a semiconductor. Electroluminescence is distinct from incandescence, which is light emission caused by heat. The light emission of electroluminescence is caused by hole-electron recombination. Electroluminescent panels may be used in various applications. For example, phosphor-based EL panels may be used for backlighting applications for a liquid crystal display (LCD) for a small mobile device (such as a cell phone, PDA, or the like).